Moving to the UK for education is an exciting opportunity but especially for young international students aged 10–18, it can also feel overwhelming. New environments, academic pressure, homesickness, and cultural differences can all impact emotional wellbeing.

At Study Links, we understand that safeguarding our students isn’t just about providing welcoming homestay accommodation and ensuring they’re engaging with their education, it’s about supporting and developing students’ mental resilience in and outside of the classroom.

Our guardianship services are inherently designed so that our team builds a quick rapport with our students, so that in times of need (whatever their need) they feel comfortable contacting us for support. Even so, we acknowledge that sometimes students may still sometimes prefer an anonymous line of support instead of contacting Study Links, or speaking to their houseparent or own family and friends.

This is why we make all of our students aware of Kooth.  We strongly encourage students and families to explore Kooth as a free, accessible support system available anytime they need it.  It is a safe way for students to get mental health support, instead of seeking support from potentially untrusted sources online, or avoiding seeking any support at all.

Kooth is a free, safe, and accessible resource: Kooth.

What is Kooth?

Kooth is the UK’s largest digital mental health support service for children and young people. Established over 20 years ago and widely recommended by trusted organisations including the UK Government’s National Health Service (NHS), it provides free, anonymous, and professional support online.

It’s also accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy giving reassurance that students are accessing trusted, high quality care.

Why do we think Kooth is ideal for international students?

Students living overseas away from their family may not feel fully understood in their new environment, or know who best to ask for help from, therefore privacy and accessibility of any support is essential.   Also, often the waiting list for mental health support via the UK Government’s NHS system can be 3 years long – far too late to make a meaningful difference when it matters, meaning situations can quickly escalate and impact a student’s future.  Families can choose to pay privately for mental health support, and some families even fly their child home for home-country support.  We recommend this option to support students as soon as they need it.

Anonymous & Safe

Students don’t need to share identifiable personal details. They create a username and password and can start using the platform immediately.

Professional Support

Qualified practitioners are available via live chat:

* Mon–Fri: 12pm–10pm
* Sat–Sun: 6pm–10pm

Self-Help Resources

A wide range of articles, written by professionals and other young people, covering:

• Stress and anxiety
• Homesickness
• School pressure
• Relationships and friendships

Interactive Tools

Students can:

•  Keep a private journal (which helps them process their emotions, reduce stress, and build self-awareness)
• Set personal goals
• Use wellbeing activities
• Join moderated discussion boards (amongst many advantages, this a safe way to build social connection, reduce isolation and normalise experiences, all within a safe space)

How the Counselling Works

If a student chooses to speak with a practitioner, they can join a live text-based chat. Before starting, they may complete a short questionnaire to help tailor the support.

During the session (up to 1 hour), they can:

• Talk through concerns
• Explore coping strategies
• Set achievable goals

A Service Built With Young People

One of Kooth’s biggest strengths is that it has been developed with young people, for young people. Their “user voice” approach ensures the platform remains relevant, engaging, and supportive.

There is also strong evidence demonstrating its positive impact across the UK making it a trusted option for families and schools to rely on.

How to Get Started

Getting started is simple:

1. Visit Kooth online or download the app
2. Create an anonymous account
3. Start exploring resources or chat with a practitioner

No referrals. No waiting lists. Just support when it’s needed most.

For international families who are considering sending their child to study in the UK at an independent boarding school or university, you can have peace of mind that Study Links puts the best interests of your children as our number 1 priority.

We have trained staff with mental health awareness certification, safeguarding certification, student counselling certification, and decades of real-life experience taking care of thousands of international students from all over the world coming to study in the UK.

Our aim is for international students to be excited about studying in the UK, and to build confidence in themselves to reach their full potential both personally and academically so that they are eager to grasp the opportunities available to them.

With our strong network across the UK working with the best team and partners to support students, any issues students have on their journey can be navigated with our support, helping our students become stronger and more resilient version of themselves ready to face the future.

Register with Study Links today, for an educational guardianship service putting your child at the centre of what we do, 24/7/365: Guardianship Application